Bipod



Feb. 3. 1925. 1,524,973

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Febga. 1925. 1,524,973

G. HAZELTON BIPOD Filed A1191- 24, 1923 2. Shees-SmeefI .2

0 Flg 8 Figi). i my 45 Ilz/U @rz/bbl jim Patented Feb. 3, 1925.

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GEORGE HAZELTON, 0F PARIS, FRANCE.

BIPOD.

Application led August 24, 1923.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE HAznLToN, a subject of the King of Great Brita-in and Ireland, and residing at 7, Rue Georges Y ille, Paris, 16e, France, have invented a certa-in new and useful Bipod, of which the following is a. specification.

The devices which have been employed hitherto for supporting the front ends of machine guns during firing, and which are so constructed as to be capable of occupying a folded position when they` are not in use, and of being moved into the desired position for iii-ing purposes, are generally fairly diticult to handle, that is to say, the said supports are not adapted to be brought into the desired position in a simple. and rapid manner.

The p-resent invention has for its obj ect to provide a folding trestle to serve as a front support for machine guns and the like {irearnis, which is without suchy drawbacks. This improved folding trestle is so designed that it can be folded in a compact form underneath the barrel of the gun, and it is so constructed that it can be brought easily and quickly into the position required for firing purposes.

This folding trestle comprises substantially two cranked or bent legs mounted in a cylindrical plug revoluble in the head of the trestle in which the gun can swivel, the whole being arranged in such a manner that the legs are capable of being rotated in the cylindrical plug` only when the latter has been brought into a determined position relative to the trestle head wherein angular rotation of the said legs in one direct-ion causes these to come together, and brings them into a position parallel to and underneath the gun barrel, while lockingthe plug in the trestle head. Angular rotation of the legs in the reverse direction causes the legs to move apart while unlocking the plug and allowing the legs to be turneddown to the ground.

To 'enable this invention to be clearly understood, I shall now proceed to describe, with reference to the accompanying drawings, but by way of example only, a constructional form of the improved trestle according to this invention.

Figure l is an elevation sho-wing the apparatus folded for transport, and designed for use with a machine gun.

Figure 2 is a corresponding plan.

Serial No. 659,211.

Figures Il and 1Q are an elevation and a plan of the apparatus in position during firing.

As shown in the accompanying' drawings the improved folding trestle comprises a collar l, in which works the pivot pin of the machine gun. The said collar and pivot pin are kept together by a pin 2 passed through the collar its middle part projecting into an internal circular groove 3 formed in the pivot pin (Figure l), thus permitting the gun to be swivelled relative to the collar.

This collar is integral with a second cylindrical collar 4, whose longitudinal axis is at right angles to the axis of collar l. The collar 4c has in each of its flat ends a` semicylindrical notch 5 whose a-Xis s situated in the plane of the respective end surface, and is inclined relatively to the plane end surfaces of the collar l.

A cylindrical plug 6, mounted so as to be rotatable in the collar 4, is pierced by two holes 7 whose diameter is equal to the diameter of the notches 5 of collar 4, and whose parallel axes intersect the axis of the plug at right angles, (Figures 6 and 7). These axes are situated in the planes of the bases of the collar et (Figure 7), and the holes 7 can be brought into the prolongation of the notches 5 by rotation of the plug 6. This latter is, further, pierced in the centre of each ofits flat ends by a screwthreaded hole 8 adapted to receive a screav 9 which, extending into each hole 7 of the plug, engages in a circular groove l() provided close to the upper end of each of the legs ll, and prevents these latter from having any longitudinal movement while allowing them to rotate.

In order to allow the plug 6 in which the upper ends of the legs are mounted to rotate with the legs in the collar 4, the said ends areof circular cross-section and formed with notches 13 and 14 having a depth equal to half the diameter of the said ends. The

fiat surfaces 15 of these notches, extending4 through the axis of the legs, are cut away in such a manner as to come 1n contact with the fiat ends of t-he collar 4 during the rota* tion of the plug 6 in the interior ot the said collar, whereas the lower ends of the legs 11 diverge at the maximum angle allowed by. the rotation ot'fthe upper ends of the legs in the holes 7. The surfaces 16 ot the notches 13 and-14 at right angles to the surtace 15 are Vcut to cylindrical shape and they iforrn a continuation of the outer surface ofthe plug 6, when the fiat surfaces 15 are in contact with the bases of the rcollar f 4 as shown in Figure 7.

. 19 which are adapted to engage the machine gun barrel 18 in the position oi" transport shown in Figures 1 and 2, in winch the legs are held by a sliding ring 20L The operation of the improved trestle is as follows parts lying In its folded position shown in Figures 1 and 2, the plug 6 cannot turn in the collar 4 owing to the engagement in the fixed notches 5 of one half of the semi-cylindrical at the upper part ot the legs 11, bythe notches 13pand 14. The legs being close together in this position, are prevented by a ring 2O from suffering any accidental displacements.. The apparatus is now locked inl its position of minimum bulk.

In order to bring the legs into position tor ring, the ring 2O is shifted along the legs 11 in the direction of the arrow X (Figures 1 and 2) and the' legs 11 are simultaneously rotatedv through one quarter of a revolution around their longitudinal axis in the direction of the arrows Y (Figure 2). Since these legs are bent'they will' move away from each other as shown in Figures 7 and 11. In this angular rotational motion the semicircular portions ot the legs situated opposite notches 13 and 14 Vare brought to the outside of the collar 4, and the flat surfaces 15Vbecome situated in the plane of the ends of the said collar las `is clearly shown in Figures 7 and 12.

The plug 6 is now free and can be rotated together with the legs which it carries about the common axis of the said plug 6 and co1- lar 4,. in order to bring the apparatus into the open position shown in Figures 11' and 12, orin any other position around the said axis.

The legs 11 cannot then be brought together, because the Hat surfaces 15 of each leg are in contact with the fiat base ot the collar 4 and oppose the rotation of the legs 11 in the holes 7 of the plug 6, as is clearly shown in Figures 7, 11 and 12. In this position, the l'ower horizontal edge o't `the notch '14 of each Vle'gwis in contact withfsa Aflat portion 21 (Figures 1 and 4) formed2 on the lower face ofthe collar 4 in such a manner that the legs are not able/to told down in a forward direction. Y i

In order to return the trest'le into the position shownV in Figure 1, the legs 11k musti'rst be raised towards the gun'barrel 18,

the Vplug 6 thus being turned in the collar 4 until the holes 7 in the said plughave come opposite the iixed notches 5. It is then sutiic-ientto turn the legs 11 around their longitudinal axis for the purpose of bringing them together andv engaging again the halt" of their upper `semrcylindrical portions in the fixed notches 5. The trestle will their be lockedas above stated.

It' is to be understood that the construe,`

tion, arrangement and details as hereinbe- Cil tore described, areV given solely by way ot' example andthat shapes, materials and" di mensions of the various'k constituent parts may be 'modiiied wit-hout thereby departing trom the nature of theV invention;

Having now' described my invention,V what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent isz y A 't'Oldingfront support for machine guns and the like incliidingr al headr adapted to be secured to the gun,l a cylindrical member rotatably mounted within said head, two cranked legs rotatably mounted near their ends within said cylindrical" member, means enabling said legs to lbe foldedI tooccupy position parallel to the gunY barrel, means in connect-ion with said legs serving when the latter occupy the above-nientioned position to lock the cylindrical member to the head, said locking. means being releasable by rotation ot the legs about their longitudinal axes. f

In testimony' whereof I haveA signed my name to this specification.

GEORGE H AZELTON. 

